Windies Spin a Web as Proteas Struggle to 113 in Second T20I

(The Post News)– The Proteas Women were limited to a modest 113/6 by a sharp West Indies bowling and fielding display in the second T20I at the Three Ws Oval in Barbados on Sunday. South Africa’s innings lacked fluency from the start, with only Annerie Dercksen (21 off 17) managing a strike rate above 100. Nadine de Klerk (20) was the only other batter to pass the teens.

After losing the toss, South Africa opened with Tazmin Brits (14) and captain Laura Wolvaardt (16), who put on a steady 29-run partnership. But momentum shifted quickly as Wolvaardt sliced a delivery from Jahzara Claxton to point, and Marizanne Kapp fell in the next over, miscuing Hayley Matthews for a third-ball duck.

The innings stalled further when Brits attempted to push the scoring but was caught on the boundary, giving Afy Fletcher (2/13) her first wicket. Fletcher then removed de Klerk with a sharp catch by Matthews, and Karishma Ramharack (2/25) cleaned up Miane Smit (13) and Chloe Tryon (4) in quick succession, reducing the visitors to 79/6 by the 16th over.

Dercksen and Karabo Meso (14) combined for a late unbeaten 34-run partnership, giving the innings a lift, but the total remains underwhelming by T20I standards.

West Indies’ spin trio, Fletcher, Ramharack and Matthews, were clinical, stifling scoring opportunities and striking at crucial moments, setting their side up for a confident chase.